


Wish

by joufancyhuh



Series: The Heavens Will Fall [10]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Christmas fic, F/M, Post-War, Rated M for Blake's rather colorful language, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 01:17:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13066119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joufancyhuh/pseuds/joufancyhuh
Summary: Spectre business leaves Shepard alone at home for the holidays. At least, until someone breaks into her house.





	Wish

**Author's Note:**

> This should've been "I'll Be Home For Christmas" but since Blake's titles can only be NIN lyrics, here's Wish by NIN. Downfalls of stonewalling yourself.

Blake glared at her husband through the vid-com, trying her best to hide her disappointment. “You promised.”

Kaidan rubbed the back of his neck on screen, a sheepish grin on his face. “I know, and I’m sorry, Temp. I really tried, I did, but they’re not letting anyone leave the ship for another week.”

They stared into the camera, her pinching lips together in an almost scowl, him with a faltering smile that faded more with each passing second. He sighed, breaking up their uncomfortable silence. “I’ll make it up to you when I get there. We can do a late Christmas.”

She ducked her head into her knees that drew up to her chest. “It won’t be the same.” She considered repeating her earlier statement, of how he promised they would spend every holiday together for the rest of their lives. And now three years after the war, and that promise already reached a breaking point. She knew, given their occupations, that not seeing each other was a possibility, but she always kept that notion in the back of her mind, not taking it serious.

And then Kaidan called. And now here she sat, wanting to hang up and crawl under a blanket, block out the world and this stupid holiday. She managed to get home on time, though the Alliance bitched and moaned about needing her during this season. Something about her in a sexy Santa suit, to which she promptly replied no thanks.

And she put actual effort into the decorations, her first year doing them without him. She lit up the whole house, inside and out, waiting for him to come home and see the lights; she loved how his eyes twinkled in this season, a sight she would miss this year.

“Temp?”

Blake shook her head, drawing herself away from her thoughts. “I think I’m just going to go to bed.”

Kaidan frowned, worry knit in his brow. “I’m sorry. You know I’d be there if I could.”

“I know. But Spectre business comes first; I know that, too.” She shut off the comm and yanked the blanket off the back of the couch, folding it around her as she laid down. The tree shined into her tearing eyes; she rolled and shoved her face into the cushions, blocking out her cheery surroundings. She decided to sleep on the couch tonight, the bed only serving as a cold reminder of his absence. Some Christmas Eve.

She missed the cookies he baked every year, the carols he hummed around the house, curling up together as he educated her in some of the finer holiday movies. Opening stockings the night before and kissing under the mistletoe; she wanted the kind of Christmas only he could give her.

But the thought of waking up alone the next morning left a pit in her stomach, her presents for Kaidan left unopened under the tree for another week.

* * *

Blake didn’t realize she fell asleep, but a sound of someone closing the front door jolted her back awake. She kept a spare gun in the side table in case of emergencies; she eased the drawer out and grabbed her side arm, sliding onto the floor in a crouch. Whoever it was, they picked the wrong fucking night to break into her house.

She spider-stepped over to the opening of the hallway, sliding herself up the wall, gun lowered and safety off. She wheeled around, raising her gun to eye level just as her eyes locked with the would-be intruder’s. Her body halted its progress, going rigid at the sight of him.

Kaidan stood awkwardly by in an ill-fitting Santa suit, two duffel bags over his shoulders. He chuckled, dropping them onto the floor. “Merry Christmas?”

Blake growled, trying to sort out her emotions. Seeing Kaidan felt as though a wave of relief washed over her, but anger surged at the thought of his cruel prank. “I should shoot you just for lying to me. What the fuck, Kaidan?”

“Surprise?”

Blake shut the safety off and tucked her gun into her waistband. “Fuck you. I hate you.”

Kaidan grinned as he stepped forward, enveloping her in a big hug. She locked her arms over her chest, keeping still even in his embrace. Fuck if she didn’t miss even the scent of him, that spearmint smell of aftershave. He bent his head, pressing a kiss into her scowl. “I missed you.”

“Fuck you.”

He laughed, scattering more kisses across her face and neck. “The house looks good.”  

“Don’t try to soften me up by complimenting my decorating skills.”

“I really did get here as soon as I could.” He tightened his hold over her, burrowing his face where her neck and shoulder met. “Damn, I missed you.”

And all of her resolve melted away as she unfolded her arms and crossed them behind his back, pressing him into her. “I still hate you.”

“You wouldn’t be my Tempest if you didn’t.”

They lingered there in the hallway, gripping each other as if it were the last time. She didn’t want the hug to end, this moment the only gift she wished for the holiday. But then he shifted, drawing her in for the kind of kiss that left it hard to breathe.

Her hands rubbed along the velvet of his suit as her mouth tried to catch up with his from their three month absence. The velvet felt good on her skin, and she swished them up and down his back a few times, enjoying the sensation coupled with the kiss. Kaidan drew back, chuckling, as he realized what she did.

“We still have time for stockings if you wanted to do those.” He brushed his nose along the bridge of hers, smiling down at her.

She nodded before kissing him once more, shorter this time. “So what was your plan? Cause I gotta tell you, you make a lousy Santa Claus.”

“More just crawl into bed and surprise you.”

She kissed him again and again. “Well, for the record, I hate this prank. But I’d rather have this than none of you.”

“Noted.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “But I made you a promise, didn’t I? Better late than never.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been told that I can't just do fluff, that everything I write has angst in it. They may have been right, who can really say.


End file.
